


Back to the Future

by orphan_account



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst and Romance, Anxiety, Fluff, Goodbyes, Loss, M/M, One-Shot, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-07 19:54:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21463639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: After 2 years of living in the past to save his home from Iblis, Silver decides it’s time to head back. However, he has to say goodbye to the many friends he’s made, including a chameleon who’s been dreading his departure for weeks. How will Silver say goodbye? And how will Espio thank him for everything he’s done?
Relationships: Espio the Chameleon/Silver the Hedgehog
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Back to the Future

Today begun just like any other day for the Chaotix. Waking up, eating breakfast, looking over their assigned investigations. If anything, it felt like today was missing something. It was 11:30 AM, and by now, something wacky or intriguing enough to seek out would happen. 

Except for Espio.

Today did not start like any other day. He woke up struggling to breathe, sweating profusely from a horrible nightmare he just escaped. He could barely eat his breakfast, his anxiety nearly forcing it out. He was sick of this new emotion. This beast that demanded his headspace and thoughts 24/7. This had been going on for two weeks, and he would do anything for it to go away. 

He’d been dreading this day since Silver let him know he’d be leaving today two weeks ago. Ever since that moment, Espio’s mental state had been deteriorating and anxiety began to soar with each day that passed. He’d never felt anything like it. Up until then, panic attacks were out of the question and anxiety was restricted to the deadliest of battlefields. When around company, they distracted him enough to not be visibly distressed. He was slightly quieter and more reserved than his usual self, not enough for anyone to notice or call out. But when alone, it was too much. He let it all out and became unrecognisable. 

He had no one to talk to. Silver only told him and Blaze in advance, and Espio didn’t want to burden his teammates with worry. He couldn’t make Silver regret going home by talking about his feelings either. Although Blaze was extremely close to Silver, a true friendly bond had never had a chance to form between her and the chameleon. Besides, who knew how _she_ was handling this?

He spent all of today in his bedroom panicking and mourning and thinking about his soon-to-be loss. In an attempt to calm himself down, he forced his drained, exhausted, worn out being to add the final touches he’d been meaning to do for something very important. It was now or never for him. If it weren’t done ASAP, he wouldn’t know what to do with himself.

A door bell echoed through the building. Deep down, Espio knew exactly who was standing outside, but he made an attempt to keep his currently wreck of a mind at bay by challenging his anxious thoughts:

_What if it’s a client? What if it’s a delivery? What if you still have some time left?_

The door creaked open, and Vector began to speak. “Hey Silver! What’s up? You here to see Espio or what?” 

Time stopped. His heart soared, but felt like it stopped. The world was ripping apart at the seams. Thoughts raced at the speed of sound as a new panic attack came in like a nuclear explosion. Tears were streaming from his eyes down onto his face and bedroom floor at unimaginable speed. He begun to make noises that sounded like he was suffocating. He wanted to speak, but his anxiety had made it literally _impossible_.

”Actually Vector, I came because there’s something I need to tell you.” Silver begun.

”What is it?”

The hedgehog continued. ”Today is going to be my last day in this timeline. After 2 years, I decided I was satisfied with the stuff I did to protect the future. And now I decided it was time to go home.” 

Espio’s muscles trembled furiously and quickly gave up, sending him to the floor with a noticeable _thump! _He didn’t care. He barely even noticed because anxiety locked him deep into a bottomless pit of his thoughts. However, the noise was loud enough to grab the attention of Vector and Silver, who could instantly sense it came from his boyfriend. Within a second he was already deeply concerned for Espio.

”I told Espio about this two weeks ago because you know, boyfriend. But do you mind if I could have some alone time with him?” Silver asked.

“As long as you keep it PG, of course you can! Have a good time up there!” Vector smiled and playfully winked. He could sense the unease in Silver, so he decided to poke some fun. He hadn’t done all that much for Espio’s boyfriend, so he was going to make sure he went home happy.

Silver giggled at the saucy joke as he began to head upstairs. ”Thank you Vector. Thanks for everything!” He called down.

* * *

Espio heard everything that just went down. He could hear Silver coming closer. Being a ninja, he had an incredible ability to sense the presence of other people. He knew he couldn't shut down and panic on him. Just like Vector, he was gonna let him go home happy.

He wiped his tears from his red, wet face and stood on the tiny puddle of emotion on his carpet. He took deep breaths, but whilst he shifted his attention from Silver to himself, his attempt to control his anxiety was quickly stopped as a very familiar face came into the room.

”Espio-” Silver was interrupted by the biggest hug Espio had ever given someone. And the fact Espio’s hugs could always be considered big, as he rarely gave hugs, truly said something. Silver quickly embraced it, and it took a long minute for it to end. “It’s nice to see you again,” The hedgehog continued. “and quite possibly, you know, the last time...” Silver pondered on what to say next. “You know what, let’s sit down.”.

As soon as Silver sat down on Espio’s bedroom floor, Espio stood up. Not because of anxiety, because of something he needed to get. “What are you doing babe?” The stunned hedgehog asked. No response, until he sat back down with parting gifts in hand. “Are they for me?!?” An even more, but positively stunned Silver.

Espio smiled and chuckled for the first time in two weeks. “Who else would it be for?”. Silver quickly went from curious to overwhelmingly excited. Espio handed him the first, but much bigger gift. Silver let his ecstatic emotions take the lead, ripping the wrapping paper to shreds in a flash. He found out it was instantly worth it as his ecstasy grew twenty-fold. The gift was a massive collection of Silver’s favourite foods: mint and orange flavoured chocolates. There was everything you could possibly imagine. Bars, packets, tubs, even those really expensive luxury trays. Silver screeched on a level fangirls could never, and hugged and kissed Espio lovingly and intimately. If Espio was setting the bar this high on the first gift, then Silver was over the moon for the other gift!

When Silver calmed down a tad bit, it was time for Espio to hand Silver his final gift. He was sure Silver would love this even more than the perfection of the other gift. There was no wrapping. Just a small black box. When Espio opened the lid for him, Silver stared both blankly and intensely. He didn’t believe that two rings were sitting in that box. They were gold, to represent limitless value, with a diamond, to represent eternity. “Are you ok Silver?” Espio found his silence unnerving.

Immediately after he said that, Silver began sobbing uncontrollably. “Silver!?! Honey what’s wrong?” Espio was beginning to panic as he began to soothe him. He was meant to be happy, not sad. “Were these originally engagement rings?” Silver said quietly and anxiously. He was stuttering, but still audible.

“S-Silver... when you came round two weeks ago, I planned on giving one to you because, yes, they were in fact engagement rings, because I decided I wanted to marry you. In these 2 years of dating, I have truly discovered how much of a fantastic person you really are. You gave me the world and more, so I gave you the oath to be together forever. But that day you announced you were gonna go home. So I thought... maybe instead of engagement rings, memory rings would be a better name. You’d wear them exactly like engagement rings, but they’d represent all our memories instead!” 

Silver’s sobbing exploded into bawling upon realising what he’d just done. To him, he had destroyed the best thing either of them could of possibly experienced. All because he decided to go back to his original time 200 years forward. A time where Espio would be dead and forgotten. Silver hugged him tighter than ever before. “ESPIO! I’M SO SORRY! I’M SORRY I WRECKED YOUR BIGGEST DREAM WITHOUT EVEN REALISING IT! I-“

A finger pushed itself onto Silver’s lips and lightly pushed his head upwards. “Ssssshhhhh, Silver. It’s gonna be ok. It was your decision to go home, and I have no reason to stop you. I’ll always be there for you if you choose to come back, and I will never stop loving you. Those are promises!”. However, as Silver looked at his boyfriend’s facial expressions, he seemed gradually more unsettled and worried with each word spoken. He seemed like he was bottling emotions. Like they would burst out.

“Espio, I know this sounds kinda stupid, but will you miss me?”. 

The composure Espio was trying so hard to keep completely collapsed, and he did something he hadn’t done since his infancy: Cry. Loudly. “YOU SERIOUSLY THINK I WOULDN’T?? YOU ARE THE CLOSEST PERSON I’LL EVER MEET!! I’VE BEEN SPENDING ALL MY TIME IN THIS ROOM CRYING AND PANICKING BECAUSE YOU WERE LEAVING!!!” He buried himself in Silver’s chest fluff and broke down. “E-Espio... I never thought you were this scared. I’m so sorry for not checking up on you!”. He wrapped his arms around the chameleon as he continued to sob.

”Actually Espio, speaking of remembrance gifts...” Silver went to get something out his backpack, which was filled with gifts for everyone. Silver cupped Espio’s gift in his hands to conceal it. When he removed his hand, a wonderful silver pendant, with the phrase ‘My heart belongs to you’ engraved on, saw the light. Espio burst into tears, but this time it was tears of shock. Tears of joy. Tears of love. “Oh Silver it’s absolutely wonderful!” He exclaimed whilst putting it on. He then went on to hug Silver, before being stopped by a hand to the shoulder.

”I have an idea. I wanna give you a memory you’ll never forget. Another hug is something you’re bound to forget. It’s hard to describe, so I’ll put you in the bed.” All of a sudden, they were both in the air with cyan auras around them, thanks to Silver’s telekinesis, as they headed to Espio’s bed. Within seconds of landing, the duvet was covering the both of them, and Silver had Espio’s attention in his grasp with a long hug and kiss on the lips.

“Wanna make out and just, love for half an hour? After all, your boss did say to have a good time!” was Silver’s final request for Espio.

“Oh Silver.. of course!”

What followed was 30 minutes of pure, intimate bliss and joy for the both of them. They had never felt so close to each other, so much like one, even though they would be worlds apart very soon. Silver was sure Espio would never forget his goodbye kisses, spooning, rubs and strokes, and everything in-between, and vice versa. Would they ever feel such incredible, loving sensations again? They didn't think so. But of course, they would inevitably have to tackle the worst part afterwards, the goodbyes.

Silver was slightly breathless yet energised, as the love chemicals continued to make waves, even after everything that had just happened. “Now that’s done, I still have more friends to say goodbye to. And you’ve cried more than enough tears today. So now Espio, this is goodbye. I’m seriously gonna miss you. Just know I’ll always have a part of you in the ring, and you’ll always have a part of me in the pendant.” Silver slipped one of the rings on and gave him one last, truly unforgtettable kiss on his boyfriend’s lips as he grabbed his bag and left. "Goodbye Silver. Thank you, just thank you". As he spoke, his voice went from clear to chocked up and almost like a whisper as he gave him one last hug.

As his bedroom door shut, Espio just... stopped. He was sat down on his bed, staring with a dead, aimless glare. He had no movement, no reaction, no cares. The truth was, everything about Silver was overwhelming him as he realised he'll never see his almost-fiance again. The question now is, _will Espio cope_?


End file.
